Applicator



' May 27, 1941. D. c. VICK APPLICATOR Filed April 20, 1940 Patented May 27, 1941 UNETED APPLICATOR David C. Vick, Nashville, N. 0.

Application April 20, 1940, SerialNo. 330,783

1 Claim.

This invention. relates to an applicator for an insecticide, and it is primarily an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind comprising a bucket or kindred container carrying a mop, the content of the bucket or container discharging upon the mop whereby the insecticide maybe transferred to the foliage of a plant upon wiping contact of the mop with the foliage.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind wherein the content of the bucket or container can be readily and conVeniently agitated and also wherein a screening element is provided and disposed over the discharge opening of' the bucket or container;

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind wherein the discharge from the container or bucket may be readily regulated or controlled;

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved applicator whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of an applicator constructed inaccordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the device as herein embodied, the. line of section being substantially at right angles tothe line of section of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially. on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; r v

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional View taken substantially on the line 44. of" Fig: ure 1.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, C denotes a container or bucket of desired capacity and which has operatively connected thereto a conventional bail B whereby the device can be readily and conveniently carried.

The bottom wall I of the bucket at the axial center thereof is provided with a discharge opening 2. The outflow through this opening 2 is under control of a valve member 3. This valve member 3, as herein embodied, comprises a spherical member of rubber or kindred material' and which is suitably affixed to the lower end portion of an elongated operating rod 4. This rod 4' is of a length to extend up through a cross member 5 intersecting theupper or open face of the container or bucket C. This member 5 may be as preferred and, as herein disclosed, such member constitutesa tubular bar of sheet metal and having end walls 6 bolted, as at T, to the side wall 8 of the container or bucket C. It is to be stated that this cross member 5 may be anchored or secured in position in any I manner preferred.

The operating rod 4 at a point below but in close proximity to the cross member 5 is provided with a fixed enlargement 9 and interposed between this enlargement 9 and the cross memher 5 is an expansible coil spring l0. This spring I'll encircles the rod 4 and serves to constantly urge the rod 4 and the valve member 3 toward the seat for the valve member 3. The extent of movement of the rod 4 by the spring. iii is determined by the adjustable stop I! herein disclosed as a Winged nut threading upon the portion of the rod 4 above the cross member 5. It is believed to be obvious that upon proper adjustment of the stop or nut H the amount of flow out through the discharge opening 2 may be readily regulated or controlled or entirely shut off.

Suitably secured to the under surface of the bottom wall of the container or bucket C and disposed radially thereof is an elongated housing I2 providing a chamber M into which the opening 2 directly delivers. This housing It includes a bottom wall 15 provided therealong with a plurality of small spaced openings it through which passes the insecticide as delivered within the chamber l4. 7

The device at issue is one particularly designed for the treatment of cotton plants and 'Wherein the insecticide is one which includes molasses as a base and of a consistency to have proper flow through the discharge opening 2 into the chamber 14 and out through the openings l6.

Suitably secured to the under surface of the bottom wall I of the container or bucket C are the elongated socket members ll. These memhers I! are in parallelism with each other and with the housing l2 and the lower ends of the socket members are open. Each of these socket members is adapted to have tightly engaged therein a marginal portion of a flexible wiping element or mop W. The wiping element or mop W, as herein disclosed, is of a conventional structure comprising a plurality of strands of material and is of substantially the same character as the conventional mop used in the wiping of floors or the like.

As the insecticide passes out through the openings IE it falls between and upon the wiping elements or mops W which become substantial- 1y saturated. As an operator walks along a row of plants he causes the elements or mops W to wipe upon the foliage of the plants which results in the transfer of the insecticide to such foliage. This operation is of particular advantage in combating the boll weevil.

The side walls of the socket members i! are provided with the inwardly disposed protuberances Hi to assure effective holding of the marginal portions of the mops within the socket members.

It is important to provide means to prevent any matter larger than the openings Hi to pass out through the discharge opening 2 so that the efficiency of the device will not be hampered by any of the openings l6 becoming clogged. In the present embodiment of my invention I provide a conoidal screening element l9, the marginal portion of the base of which is suitably secured, as at 20, to the bottom wall of the container or bucket C with said element l9 extending over the opening 2. The operating rod 4 hereinbefore referred to is freely and snugly disposed through the apex portion of the element l9. The mesh of this screening element I9 is of a gauge less than the gauge of the openings It. The device as herein disclosed is also provided with means whereby the insecticide within the container or bucket C may be agitated when desired. This agitating means comprises an annular member 2| of desired diameter and having its inner marginal portion a disposed upwardly and inwardly on a desired incline, This member 2| has suitably secured thereto a spider 22, the arms of which are disposed upwardly and inwardly on an incline and radiating from a central flat hub plate 23. The rod 4 is freely disposed through this hub plate 23 so that the rod 4 offers no hinderance or obstruction to the desired reciprocation of the plate 2| when it is desired to agitate the material within the container or bucket C. At diametrically opposed points, as at 24, the member 2| has suitably secured thereto the lower or inner end portions of the elongated parallel arms 25. These arms 25 are of a length to freely extend through and beyond the cross member and the outer or upper ends of these arms are connected by an intermediate cross member 26 herein disclosed as in the general form of an inverted V. It is preferred that the arms 25 and the intermediate cross member 25 be formed from a single length of material of requisite gauge. The lower or inner portions of the arms 25 are provided with the fixed enlargements 21. Interposed between these enlargements 21 and the cross member 5 are the coil springs 28 of desired length. These springs 28 encircle the arms 25 and operate to norm-ally maintain the member 2| in contact with the bottom wall I of the container or bucket C.

The apex or central portion of the cross member 26 terminates in sufficient close proximity to the central portion of the bail B when raised to allow the operator to engage the cross member 26 with a digit of the hand grasping the bail B in carrying the container or bucket C so that desired reciprocation of the member 2| may be effected at will to agitate the material within the container or bucket. The connection of each of the arms 25 with the member 2| is reinforced by the braces 29 as particularly illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that an applicator constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimedl I claim:

A device for applying fluent insecticide to the foliage of a plant comprising a container having a discharge opening in its bottom, a cross member intersectingthe' top portion of the container, a housing secured to the outer face of said bottom and with which the discharge opening communicates, said housing having a wall provided therealong with a plurality of openings, a valve for regulating the flow through the discharge opening into the housing and out through the openings of the housing, wiping elements, means for securing said wiping elements to the bottom of the container at opposite sides of the housing and in a position to permit the material passing through the openings of the housing to drop upon the wiping elements, an agitating member within the container, yieldable means for maintaining said agitating member at the limit of its movement toward the bottom wall of thecontainer, arms secured to the agitating ,member at substantially diametrically opposed points, said arms being of a length tofreely extend through the cross member, expansible means for constarrtly urging the agitating member toward the bottom wall of the container, a cross member connecting the end portions of the arms above the cross member of the container, and a carrying bail for the container, the cross member for the arms being in a position to be readily engaged .by a digit of the hand grasping the hail of the container for moving the agitating member away from the bottom of the container.

DAVID C. VICK. 

